The Outsiders: A Different Ending, A New Beginning
by everChanged
Summary: What if Dally didn't die? What if he really lived? What if Cherry got a chance at loving him? Will either of them take the chance? What is in store for the Greaser gang now? How will the Soc's react? What will Dally do? Find out in the story The Ou
1. Default Chapter

OK everyone. I am definitely a romance fanatic, so expect no less than just that. I couldn't stand seeing Dally die when Cherry Valance could have loved him. Of course, we never know if that is true or not, so I suppose we'll find out.  
A little about myself:  
I have never written a fanfic on anything other than the book, play, and several-times movie 'The Phantom of the Opera'. Being the most romantic, classic, and creepy book I've ever read with the most captivating and strange character (our lead male, the Phantom himself), I was already infatuated upon first hearing the very song with the title 'Phantom of the Opera' from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical. A couple or so years after this, I read 'the Outsiders' and was utterly obsessed with this book. Unfortunately, unlike with the Phantom of the Opera story, there were absolutely no outlets for me to express my devotion to such a beautiful but heart wrenching story. The controversial emotions displayed by all the characters are extremely brilliant, and I commend the gifted author S. E. Hinton. After reading this book, I fell in love with all the characters, even Cherry, the Soc. Even her book 'Tex' did not impress me as much. Dally, as is probably the case for many fans reading this right now, mostly caught my attention. He's the tough, distant man all girls dream of getting through to. Not that I would change him, but if I had the chance I would try to tug at his heart strings, because we all know that he indeed had a heart after his display of rage at Johnny's death. And as the main character, Ponyboy, pointed out, Johnny was the only thing Dally ever loved.  
But...  
What if there were someone who only loved one thing too? What if that person was Cherry Valance who would soon confirm that the possibilities of love for him are strong? What if the only thing she loved was him? And... What if he were subject to circumstances that would prevent him from being shot by the fuzz and engage him in wild and tumultuous feelings for someone that he utterly loathed?  
Indeed, what if...  
Well, as I hinted toward earlier this is my first attempt at writing fanfic for anything outside of the 'Phantom' realm.  
But as I begin brainstorming for this story and start to fill this computer page with typed words and letters and imaginative ideas in sentence form, please take this advise:  
Read the book 'Phantom of the Opera' by Gaston Leroux. He is the author of the very first book. It was his original idea based on some truth that he stretched into being the fantastic story of the infamous Opera Ghost. The reason why I say this is simply because I know I have fallen in love with the mysterious and alluring Ghost and I know that some of you out there will too. Also, go listen to the original Andrew Lloyd Webber cast for the Phantom of the Opera musical. That is with Sarah Brightman, Steve Bartan, and Michael Crawford (Monsieur le Fantome).  
Please, I entreat you to get yourself interested in this story. You may find that it is exactly the opposite of what you may expect, and that will either end with good or bad results. Please, for my sake!! ;-D  
  
And on to the fanfic in the making!!  
  
By the way... I own none of these characters!! :-)  
  
-Min Dear  
  
Prologue: A Different Ending  
  
'Dally raised the gun, and I thought: You blasted fool. They don't know you're only bluffing. And even as the policemen's guns spit fire into the night I knew that was what Dally wanted.'  
S. E. Hinton, Chapter 10, Page 154, Second Paragraph, First and Second sentence...  
  
The boys behind me were absolutely silent, and it was no surprise why. Dally was being murdered right before our eyes. Wasn't there a law against that? Killing anyone who held a gun up to the police, even if they're bluffing? It wouldn't make sense if there was. How would the fuzz know if someone was bluffing or not? I could imagine what it must be like to have that job. To have to search around town literally looking for trouble so you can get yourself involved and then somehow try to stop it. But then, Dally wasn't trouble... He was the other way around. Dally was trouble-d-. And that was why everywhere he went there was a mess behind him. He didn't know how to love, didn't know how to care, didn't know any other words than the three he lived by: loyalty, freewill, and revenge. And now, Dally was living by the consequences of these three rules. With each word came another with a contrary meaning: loyalty to betrayal, freewill to confinement, revenge to death. Which one was he suffering from now? All three? Just one? Two maybe?  
But it didn't matter anyway. All this thinking until my head hurt wouldn't help anything. The scene around me seemed to be in slow motion. Even my own breathing, my heartbeat. Watching Dally go down wasn't easy, and neither was seeing the tears in Sodapop's eyes, or Darry's face contorted into a look of pure confusion and disbelief. At least he felt some sort of emotion. At least he could show that he cared for someone. Maybe Dally's death was all for the good...  
I nearly smacked myself at that thought, but deep inside I still knew it was probably true. Dally hadn't really effected us before, hadn't meant a lot to us, even if we meant something to him. We always overlooked the things he did for us. Almost in retort to the crazy things he did, and for the constant bitter look in his eyes, even when we were around. I remembered in that moment what he'd done for me and Johnny while I saw Dally fall to the ground in a lifeless heap of blood, made into human Swiss cheese. He'd saved Johnny's life at the Church when it burned down, and he'd tried to save our behinds when we killed that Soc and gave us his gun, too. He did lots of things that would be in our memory's now that he was gone. But before, we hardly acknowledged that he even was human.  
It didn't mean we hadn't cared for him at all. It just meant that we respected him more than felt for him. It's crazy how things can get so jumbled up and confusing when you're in a gang. When you're a greaser in general.  
The cops didn't seem to wanna move, but that didn't make any difference. We didn't care if they were there or not. We weren't going to leave him there for road kill, or for them to deal with. Darry hustled over to put him over his shoulder, and Sodapop picked up Dally's gun that had fallen out of his hand while giving the cops a malicious look of pure hatred. I could tell that he was thinking, 'What good are the police when they don't even fight fair?' I could tell that we all shared the same opinion of them. Each of us had known before that the fuzz would never count us as citizens that needed protection too. We'd always be the ones they were protecting the citizens from, and they sure didn't do anything to change our minds that night.  
After we took a few steps on down the road, we heard the cops reload themselves into their cars and move on in the opposite direction. Steve, through his massive tears, cursed them in every way possible until our ears were full to the brim of profanities. But we couldn't care less. This was life, this was normal for us. What else could we expect?  
Just when the silence was almost too much to bear, we heard a young woman's voice behind us. I was the only one who turned to see who it was, and the first one to stop in his tracks.  
"Hey, boys! Greasers!"  
That word coming out of her own mouth stung like alcohol in an opened wound, but I quickly ignored the dangerous thoughts in my mind of the Soc's. Cherry wasn't like any other Soc. She was just human.  
After Darry noticed that I'd stopped, he also halted and turned around to see who was calling us. I almost got sick seeing Dally's blood dispersed through Darry's clean, white shirt under his black leather coat. But what disgusted me most was the look on Dally's face, his eyes closed, mouth half open, drooling down the back of Darry's jacket. I had to look away before I puked all over the road in front of everybody.  
Cherry was panting, obviously having run for a long time to get to us. How did she know we were here? The expression over her pretty face after she read my thoughts gave me the idea that it was unimportant.  
"Is..." she took a deep swallow, "Is that Dally?"  
Steve burst out in a fit of anger, "What the hell are you doin' here, Soc? Lookin' for trouble? I'll give you trouble..."  
He advanced on her so quick we almost couldn't stop him, but luckily Sodapop grabbed his sleeve and yanked him back so hard Steve's head had flung rearward and gave him a good jolt. That didn't impress Steve too much. But he knew just as much as we did that he had to be careful, his emotions raging like they were. We weren't going to let him take on someone innocent.  
I stepped forward to talk with Cherry, but she wasn't looking at me. In fact, she couldn't even see me, I imagine. Her eyes were still locked on Dally's limp body slung over Darry's shoulder.  
"The fuzz get a hold of him?" she asked timidly.  
Cherry Valance wasn't timid very often. It was weird seeing her that way. She must have caught on to our strange looks and swiftly changed the tone of her voice.  
"Put him down." she demanded.  
The look in her eyes had switched entirely to the opposite. At first looking very frightened and bewildered, she now had a fierce, lioness hue to her eyes. None of us were going to do anything other than what she said. Not because she was intimidating, but because we suspected something. My reasoning was a little different. I -knew- her secret.  
The redheaded ball of fire, who's spirits' flames seemed to have been doused, sat down next to Dally who looked cheerfully asleep. It was a spooky kind of cheerful. It was an expression you'd expect to see on the suicidal maniacs in those horror movies who eventually kill themselves off to live in their own, crazy hell. I wondered what the end would be like for Dally. And then I remembered the end was already here. He was in his own crazy little hell.  
Cherry stroked away some wispy strands of hair that had found their way back into his eyes just as the wind picked up. The sadness in her face was indescribable. But no one knew why she felt so much sorrow. Especially for a Greaser. No one understood, except for me.  
In a last stroke of hope, the Soc slipped her fingertips to his neck and tried to feel for a pulse.  
"Oh, God." she whispered into her hand which pressed firmly against her mouth, "He's so cold..."  
Trying to warm him, though none of us found the sense in it, she threw her shawl about his shoulders, not caring if it soon became soaked through with crimson fluid.  
"Take him to my house."  
Darry's brow pursed with frustration, "What??"  
"Take him to my house.." she repeated, again the meek little child she had greeted us as.  
The gang, or what was left of the gang, looked at one another curiously and then, for some strange reason, at me.  
"What do you say, Ponyboy?" Soda asked, seeming confused but at the same time amazingly calm about it.  
I took another glance at Cherry who was still running her fingers fervently through his golden locks of hair, and I gave a quick nod for them to take him to Cherry's.  
"What about your parents?" I asked quietly.  
She looked up and wiped away a tear which hadn't earlier been detected, "They're gone on a trip for a month or so. We have plenty of time to keep him there and call a doctor to nurse him back to health."  
Instantly, Steve gave a howl of triumph, "Good ole' Dally! Never could keep him down!"  
Throwing a fist into the air he continued his expression of joy, while Sodapop nudged Darry.  
"You mean he's... alive?" questioned Soda, after getting no response from my oldest brother.  
It was weird how Darry looked all of a sudden when Cherry gave her small nod that meant, 'Only slightly'. It was as if a light had gone on within his head. Whatever was happening behind those icy eyes of his, it was awfully big. Like a rock had just been thrown at him and he suddenly got his memory back. Only better, and he hadn't lost his memory. But I had to tear my gaze away from him when Cherry ordered us to get into her car, which was just down the road. Turns out she hadn't been running all the way.  
Once we were in, it felt as if the adventure were just beginning. Something new and strange was happening inside all of us, especially Darry. And we were all anxious to know what it was. If Dally survived, we would be forever changed. How, we didn't know. But that was part of the excitement. 


	2. Outsiders Continued: Chapter One

Woh! So many lovers of our dearest Dally! For my first Outsider fanfic ever you can imagine how surprised I was to have so many positive responses so quickly!! Wowee!! Zowee!! WOOOOWEEE!! I'm excited!! Well, here are my responses to your very cherished reviews:  
  
Ivory Greed : YEA!! DALLYS ALIVE! this is good! Dally is my favorite character! thank you for bringing him back! *runs up and hugs you causing you to fall to the ground*  
  
everChanged (ME!!): My heavens!! *gasps for breath and pulls self out of squashing embrace* Quite a grip you have there! :-D *straightens self out and dusts off shirt* Well, he's mine too! Actually, I have a genuine love for each of the boys but of course, as I said before, he is -the one- that captures my heart. You're very welcome dear! I thought for so long how terrible it was that he had to cease to exist so early in their lives! He was so young... *sniff* Well then. That is why I am here!! To cure the problem but not make it too easy for any of them. They -are- Greasers, after all. A little trouble won't hurt em. ;-D  
  
DallysGirl4Life : omg this made me cry so bad... i love dally n i hate the fact that he died in the end..great job...have more soon  
  
everChanged : Well, my dear! Have some tissues! Quick! *stuffs ten tissues into your hands* Now that the tears are done, thank you very much! But do be informed that I did not intend to make you cry! lol But all reactions are very good, especially if those dear tears of yours are for Dally. :)  
  
WenWen : Please write more of your story soon. So is she and Dally going to be more than friends.  
  
everChanged : Patience, patience! That isn't decided yet! And who would I be to spoil the outcome?? Keep in mind that Cherry, though she may harbor feelings of affection for him, is still a Soc with a reputation and a very confused heart. She is also very stubborn and extremely befuddled as to why she even exists. To her, life is one big celebrity show. And for Dally, life is one huge mess. Some time to drown his sorrows in partying and distancing himself from his very own emotions before he meets with his fate someday. Which, I might add just for my own pride's sake, has been postponed!! :-) YAYY!! And I will certainly write more as soon as possible! Well... *giggle* I'm about to write more right now! Which reminds me... I'm rambling... So, on we go!!  
  
Oblivious Misconception : Excellent introduction. You have a great writing style. Keep up the good work!  
  
everChanged: Wow! I must remark on your exceptional name! I love it! If only I had such an imagination... Or vocabulary for that matter!! :)))))))) Thank you for the complements. I am actually very pleased with how it is turning out. I only hope that my muse stays around long enough to keep this writing style going. We all know how it is to sometimes change the voice in which you're writing for the type of story you are composing. I am definitely further encouraged by your comments Oblivious M.!! Merci!! (tehe)  
  
outsiderslover_0408: Please continue. This story was getting good. Please continue.  
  
(PS)you'll willn't recall my name 'cause I'm new to fanfiction.  
  
Later,  
  
outsiderslover_0408 everChanged: Hey, it is so wonderful to meet you! I hope you are enjoying Fanfiction. net. It truly is a great site, isn't it? Well, I am absolutely thrilled to know you enjoyed my prologue, the beginnings of my story-to-be, and am even more priviledged to have such lovers of the outsiders reading my compositions! I will continue to the best of my ability, and I do hope I satisfy you all with what I come up with!! : ) Ms.IrishPenguin: Congratulations!! seriously this story has been my day dream for a while and I knew i could never write it well but you did. I mean it's perfect! Excellent! please update soon. everChanged: You know, I had a feeling for the longest time that many people felt the exact same way that you and I do. That Dally should have a second chance at life and possibly a first chance at the good things life can bring. I read a poem by an author on here about Cherry visiting his grave and regretting not ever expressing her love to him (Forgive me, dear author or authoress, if you are reading this and see that I do not remember your name or the title of your poetic creation. The only reason I have forgotten is because you inspired me with your poem to answer the call of my imagination, and I worked so quickly after reading your poem that it all is a creative blur until I finished the prologue.). You can't imagine how elating it is to hear that you like it so much! Although, I wouldn't go so far as to call it perfect! However flattering your wording is ;-D. I am so grateful for all of your responses! Please!! Keep them coming! Your approval is the entire reason for my writing! (P.S. My dear Ms. IrishPenguin, since this has also been your idea, feel free to pass on any of your thoughts for the plot, and I may use them in the story! Writer's block seems to come easy to me!! :0) )  
  
If I missed anyone else I am truly sorry. For some strange reason my review section is not showing all of the reviews. So, please forgive me!! And whenever I can get to them, I will check them out and promptly reply in the next chapter!! :)  
  
One more very important detail...  
  
I own none of these chars. :))))  
  
Chapter One  
  
'I picked up a kid, and he promptly bit me, but I leaned out the window and dropped him as gently as I could, being in a hurry like that. A crowd was there by that time. Dally was standing there, and when he saw me he screamed, "For Pete's sake, get outa there! That roof's gonna cave in at any minute. Forget those blasted kids!"  
I didn't pay any attention, although pieces of the old roof were crashing down too close for comfort. I snatched up another kid, hoping he didn't bite, and dropped him without waiting to see if he landed okay or not. I was coughing so hard I could hardly stand up, and I wished I had time to take off Dally's jacket. It was hot. We dropped the last of the kids out as the front of the church started to crumble. Johnny shoved me toward the window. "Get out!"  
I leaped out the window and heard timber crashing and the flames roaring right behind me. I staggered, almost falling, coughing and sobbing for breath. Then I heard Johnny scream, and as I turned to go back for him, Dally swore at me and clubbed me across the back as hard as he could, and I went down into a peaceful darkness.'  
S. E. Hinton, Page 93, Chapter 6, First through Third paragraphs  
  
It's weird how when someone you care about is badly hurt for the first time, or at least it's the first time you'd witnessed it, you can suddenly give up every bit of your time just to do anything for them. I saw Johnny die, but I hadn't been allowed the access to him in order to do anything for him. God knows I would've done anything if he asked me too. Probably would've gone all the way to Timbuktu to find him whatever he wanted. But like I said, he died too quick for me to express any of this to him. All I could do was listen to his last few ragged breaths and be his one close friend in those aching moments. My soul had taken a new view on life from then.  
Dally's situation was different, though. I could devote as much time as I wanted to him. He was laying there, right in front of me, feverish and pale and I imagine clammy, but I didn't really want to touch him. The way he looked, I was surprised he wasn't dead. More than that, I was surprised he survived more than twenty-four hours breathing regularly. Or at least, somewhat regularly. I really wanted to talk to him, hear what kind of food he wanted, if he needed water, bring him a hot rag maybe. Sitting there in that soft, jade green armchair next to Cherry's bed made me feel spoiled. He laid there against the Soc's perfumed pillows struggling for his next heart beat while my own went so fast I had to take them for granted. What puzzled me while I watched him was what he could possibly be dreaming of. It was obvious he was dreaming, because he had that look on his face, on top of all the other mixed expressions he was giving. Occasionally he would jerk a muscle or a limb, maybe furrow his brow and look like he was real angry. It really made me wonder. He kind of gave that look when he'd rescued us from the fire in the church. And after Johnny had gone.  
A huge sigh was emitted from my lips as I leaned my chin onto my fist, contemplating what he might say first when he woke up. If he woke up. I thought that maybe, for once, he wouldn't try to tough it out and wouldn't cuss or wouldn't tell everyone he was ok. Perhaps this time would be different. Maybe the human side of him would show. But then, I didn't guess there were many odds on my side.  
The creaking of Cherry's oak-wood door awoke me from my reverie and I glanced absently over to the entrance. There stood good ole' Two-Bit, a look in his eyes of great triumph. I'd seen that in Darry and Steve too. That same look. They all were so proud of Dally, makin' it through like that. I wondered why I wasn't proud. Why Soda didn't seem to be either.  
A smirk came to my lips when he opened his arms to give me a big hug. I knew this one was going to be a rib-breaking embrace. And it was. Two- Bit squeezed me so hard I nearly upchucked my last meal of Hershey candy bars and Nacho Chips from Taco Bell. He smelled of cologne warmed by his body heat and beer, and although the aroma was sour to the snout and a little too pungent, I had known it all my life and found it to be a calming scent. It was strange that he was acting as if he was part of my family or something. Two-Bit didn't make it a habit to show his affections much. Whenever something this effecting happens to our group we all get so sappy even we can't stand it. But we need it. It's like our support. The family we need right then. I only wished that Johnny was there. Then maybe he would finally see how much more important our eternal acceptance of him was than his own parents. I reckoned that he would have really enjoyed all the attention.  
Two-Bit finally let go when he opened his eyes to see Dally's pallid form limply strewn across the bed. Layers and layers of towels were crossed beneath him just incase he began to sweat bullets and his chest was heavily bandaged. Painfully so. I knew it wouldn't be a pretty scene when he gained consciousness. His face still held that eerie smile, but his eyes had become more peaceful than before. They had been that way since Cherry had found him. She had that kind of effect on people.  
I watched Two-Bit hesitantly walk over to the canopy bed and hook his thumbs into his pockets. I could see in the faint light of the room that he'd dyed his hair again. His natural color was a plain brown that wasn't too eye catching, but since he'd turned 16 he had begun to dye his hair every two months to an auburn type color. His original coloring had begun to show a lot more because he'd spent all his money, instead of saving up for the dye, and had gone for 6 months without another color treatment.  
He uttered sounds of bewilderment and pity for Dally, scanning over him several times to size up the damage. I didn't ask how he got there, why he came, or where he came from. Lately it was as if everybody was popping out of nowhere and nobody seemed to think that was strange. I was sensible enough to know there probably was no mystery behind it. I had recently become a believer in fate. Two-Bit then gave off a smile that was hardly euphoric, as smiles are usually meant to be. Rather, it was very disappointed. I didn't know whether it was because Dally had pulled the unloaded gun (I imagined he had been told the entire story) or for some other unknown reason.  
Feeling very cramped and tired, I stood up from the seat which I had just taken up again and strode out of the room without warning or notice. Two-Bit might stay there for a while, just to keep old Dally company. I made my way down through the hallway and descended down the stairs to the lower level and found my way hungrily to the kitchen. Yeah, Hershey bars are always good for an empty stomach, but I figured out that they seemed to work through the digestive system faster than a Lamborghini when coupled with Taco Bell's food. It must've been the spicy nacho cheese that gave it a kick start. I rummaged through the refrigerator greedily after making sure it was allowed and found myself a good left over steak. It was half eaten, though, so I quickly put it away. For a good while I stayed there, my head in the fridge practically sniffing out any morsel I could find. So rapt was I that I didn't even notice Cherry's light footsteps or her slight laughter behind me at the state she had found me in. It wasn't until I heard her pull up a chair to the table and sit down that I recognized the company of another. Even without looking at her I knew she was weary. And when I did see her, she put on her mask of complete poise.  
"Worried about him, Cherry?" I asked without thinking, slipping a carrot stick into my mouth.  
Her eyes were cast downward now that I'd asked and she twiddled her thumbs, one of her bare feet drawing circles on the floor.  
"'Course I am. I'm not about to forget him after all that. I mean, he isn't a Soc but he isn't a dirt-bag either."  
That was odd. Everyone thought Dally was a dirt-bag. But we were all mostly proud of him for it. And besides, I'd thought that she thought the was nothing but scum. She'd said so, in different wording, the first time she and Dally had really met. That was at the drive in movie theatre. I nodded soundly and pulled up a chair in front of her.  
"You look awfully tired. Is there anything I can do 'round here? I feel kind of useless now." I replied, trying to turn the subject back to her.  
"No." an independant look came to her eyes, but it wasn't intense at all.  
She just wanted me to know that she was her own woman. She sure was some little lady. I knew she'd make some obnoxiously rich Soc a good wife. Really spirited. I gave her a nod for an 'Okay' and took another carrot and chewed off a huge chunk. Her eyes followed my every move blankly, as if she were looking for somewhere to focus her vision while she zoned off into another world. I didn't bother to say anything and simply took my plate of carrots into the other room. After I left I heard the echoes of her crying behind me and I felt bad. Gosh, women were so emotional. And then, stopping to look around at her living room and remembering stuff she'd told me long before any of this mess had happened, I wondered if she ever fought with her parents or her boyfriend here. And if she did, did these walls contain recordings of her past tears? I didn't like the thought of old memories haunting the house for lots of different reasons and went upstairs again to find Sodapop.  
  
It was like... Everything had happened... All over again. Like a flashback, except you're asleep. Even the screaming was as real as it had been before. The flames were twice as believable. I heard myself yelling, too. Heard myself outside of myself. There I was, standing outside of the old, run down Church, screaming at Ponyboy to get out of there as fast as he could. Cold flooded my veins and heat surrounded my body until my head felt like it was gonna burst. Probably a head ache, I thought. Yeah, it was definitely that. At least knowing this was a sign that I was returning to consciousness. A few curses slipped past my mouth as a blinding light shot across my eyes. I wasn't about to open them again. And then I smelled something strange... Almost perfumed. It was a stench and a sweet aroma all at the same time. I made a second attempt and lifted my lids a little bit to take a good look at where I was. Someone's room. It was preppy, but also, in its own way, kind of tuff. Not enough to impress me, though. It wasn't Darry's house. It wasn't Johnny's house. It sure as hell wasn't my house. Who else was there? Lot's of people. Just not lots of girls that liked me enough to trust me in their room. Had some strange moron picked me up off the street and thrown me in their room, thinking they could save me? Well, if that was what they'd planned on doing, they had their work cut out for them. Saving me was a 10% chance against a 90% chance, the better odds not in my favor. But before they considered saving me physically, I had hoped they would think of the real problem: Where my soul was goin' to be when I finally gave in to death.  
"Ponyboy..."  
The sound of my voice was pathetic. So pathetic I was almost physically sick.  
  
Before dinner I had planned on taking a walk outside, and that was exactly what I'd done. For an hour or so I let myself stray down the sidewalk that was dank with the days' earlier rain. Everything was so cold my hands were shaking in my pockets. But I liked it. Even if it could give me frost bite.  
I remained in one spot, just across from Jack's Deli, and stayed there for so long I was beginning to think years had gone by. Everything was moving so fast. My life, even before this, had begun to feel... Rushed. I couldn't say that I liked girls too much just yet, but I figured it was about time I'd start. Darry told me that he'd started really bein' interested in girls when he was my age. Often I found myself thinking about this, every other few hours or so, wondering what it would feel like to have my first kiss. I mean, my first -real- kiss. I'd had plenty others. Lots of them I didn't ask for, didn't want, or did myself on a whim of true foolishness.  
The rain clouds above made no noise when they tip toed their way over me. Suddenly, a flash of lightning hit and the rain began pouring down.  
  
A sound, like gunfire, crashed through the house and sent a riveting shiver down my spine. Instantly I sat up, my chest heaving agonizingly up and down, up and down, until I couldn't take it any longer and just decided not to breathe. It felt like hundreds of tiny needles were jabbing at me along with three or four knives twisting underneath my skin. I was beginning to feel sick. I put my hands over my torso and fell backward, unable to hold my breath any longer. I must've made some sort of noise because I heard quick footsteps outside the room. They weren't heavy like a Greaser's, or cool like a Soc's. But I didn't have time to recognize who it was. The light in my eyes had gone out.  
  
Darry was suddenly pulling me back into the house, dragging me up the stairs and throwing me into Dally's, or really Cherry's room. I stumbled forward, watching as Cherry pulled Dally back onto the bed. His eyelids had sunk down half way over his eyes, but he still was able to see below them. I smiled, and I must've given that same look Steve had when Cherry announced that Dally was alive, because Darry nudged me in the shoulder and gave me a wink. I glanced at him quick, but was soon looking at Dally again. He seemed dazed, in his own little world, and at the same time wide awake. Cherry had gotten him successfully onto the bed, which was amazing because she was a lot smaller than he was. There were no signs on her face that she'd been crying earlier, and I was glad. I doubted I would ever understand women and their sudden bursts of emotion. But that was kind of what made them so appealing. Even if Cherry was her own woman, she still needed people. Still needed us when she was feeling badly.  
We could tell Dally was himself again, because he started right up talking again. Mostly to Cherry, because she was the only one he could see. The rest of us were on the other side of the bed, and he hadn't looked over yet.  
"Hey, there Sherri." it was weird hearing him call her by her real name, "Come to watch me die?"  
Cherry made a face at him and checked his pulse. She seemed satisfied and crossed her arms.  
"Shut up, Dallas. You know you're not dying. You just want to throw a pity party because you were stupid enough to nearly get yourself killed." she retorted, lifting a condescending eyebrow.  
Dally lifted a corner of his mouth into a smirk and licked his lips that were slightly dry.  
"Didn't know a Soc had the ability to care." he chuckled.  
His voice sounded like sand paper, and really groggy.  
"I'm not going to waste another breath on you, Dallas."  
What, no retorts? I sighed. The one thing I enjoyed most was seeing Dally and Cherry go at it over nothing at all. Why? I wish I could say.  
"That's the Soc I know." he continued, which I thought was rude. Though, I knew he didn't understand all she'd done for him. He might never.  
Cherry didn't seem moved to any point of anger at that moment. In fact, she even looked... amused.  
She assumed a darkened whisper of a voice, leaning over him and closer to his ear causing her fire red hair to fall over her shoulders, and she replied in a few words that would cut off the conversation from there, "You don't know me Dallas Winston. You don't know my favorite color, you don't know my middle name, you don't even know my address. I'm a Soc by reputation, but I'm not necessarily a Soc by action. Seeing as your buddies and I rescued you and got you breathing again, I'd think you would be a little thankful. And wouldn't be holding a grudge against someone who did little more than throw a well deserved coke at your face."  
That didn't end the conversation at all, and Dally pushed her further with his next words, "Who says I want any of this?"  
Cherry sighed, and Dally closed his eyes, sniffing at the air for a moment.  
"What is that smell?" he grimaced and wiped his tongue over the roof of his mouth several times because he could taste the smell in the air now.  
She backed up and pulled out the medicine bottle and a syrup spoon, "Your medicine. Dr. Ebert said to give you six spoonfuls a day for pain medication. He said not to digest any pills because it would be hard on your stomach right now. Later you'll have them though." she proceeded to retrieve yet another bottle, with a funny looking quirt top at the end of it, "And this is disinfectant for your bullet wounds." a few hot rags and some bandages, "And this is for your comfort and healing."  
Dally didn't look too shocked, "Good Lord. You're druggin' me."  
Darry snickered and left the room, probably thinking that his help wasn't needed just yet since Dally couldn't see anybody else but Cherry. I figured he was just going to get some fresh air. We'd all been cooped up in this house for a while now, and even I, after my midday stroll, wanted some peace and quiet. Two-Bit had gone off to round up some smokes and Sodapop was in the other room sleeping. How we'd all gotten to staying at her house was a mystery to me, but she didn't seem to mind. Even told me she liked the company. But I knew Darry would have to go home soon and get back to working. He'd already missed a day, and his new boss, Mr. Larring, wasn't too fond of him.  
I yawned and walked over to wave hello to Dally and exchange some words of greeting with him, then to wish him good luck and to tell me if he ever needed anything. He didn't say much in return except that he was "so damn tired". It still made me feel good to be able to talk to him again. He'd sure scared us the other night. It was bad enough losing Johnny. But to lose Dally too would've been far too much to handle for any of us. Afterward I left to follow Darry wherever he was going to make sure he wasn't just going off home straight away. The last thing I saw was a glimpse of Dally going to sleep and Cherry fixing a hot, dampened rag for his forehead. 


End file.
